Russell went from potential first-round bust to All-Star on a playoff team

By Jarod Hector | Mar 20 | 9:17PM

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(Andy Marlin)

"I've seen a lot of growth, really in all areas. Maybe the most important area, is as a team leader ... that said, the point guard is always going to have the most complex job of ball distribution, mixing in an aggressive attack, to score and set up playmaking opportunities. There's real nuance to all that stuff. But he's smart. He wants it, and I've really loved how he's played. He gets a little better every day."

Those were the words of Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle at the beginning of the season about his then-starting point guard, Dennis Smith Jr.

A lot has happened since then: uneven play from Smith, some immaturity, and the emergence of a rookie named Luka Doncic. Fast forward to today and Smith is now a member of the Knicks, on a completely gutted roster (or a young rebuilding one, at least) looking to find stable footing and develop into the player many thought he could be when Dallas selected him No. 9 overall in the 2017 draft.

It may have taken him a few years to fulfill his potential, but D'Angelo Russell wants everyone to know he was always going to get here.

"I'm built for this s---!" Russell declared Tuesday night, and nobody could deny it after he led the Nets on an epic 28-point comeback by scoring 27 of his 44 points in the fourth quarter as the Nets stunned the Kings, 123-121.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) D'Angelo Russell scored 27 of his career-high 44 points in the fourth quarter, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson made a layup with eight-tenths of a second remaining, and the Brooklyn Nets rallied from 28 points down in the second half to beat the Sacramento Kings 123-121 on Tuesday night and snap a four-game losing streak.

Brooklyn was sluggish and out of sync for three quarters before Russell sparked the Nets' biggest comeback of the season.

After scoring 17 points in the first half and going without a point in the third quarter, Russell shot 10 of 15 in the fourth quarter, repeatedly burning Sacramento's defense with quick drives to the basket.

The Nets (36-36) are in seventh place in the Eastern Conference but have dropped the first three contests of a seven-game road trip.

Brooklyn lost to Oklahoma City (108-96) and Utah (114-98) to begin the trip and fell 119-116 to the Clippers on Sunday night when Sixth Man extraordinaire Lou Williams buried the winning 3-point basket as time expired.

"It was a heck of shot. I don't know -- 35-foot shot," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson told reporters of the final sequence. "We definitely didn't want to foul him, because we know how good he is at drawing fouls in those situations. I think we forced him into something tougher than normal."

Nets' 10-0 rally comes up short

Mar 17 | 11:53PM

Lou Williams hit the game-winning 3-pointer from the top of the key at the final buzzer to give the Los Angeles Clippers a 119-116 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday night.

Los Angeles led 116-106 with 1:02 remaining, only to see Brooklyn score 10 straight points and tie it with 5.3 seconds remaining on DeMarre Carroll's dunk. The Clippers called a timeout to set up the winning shot for Williams, who finished with 25 points.

Derrick Favors had 13 points and 12 rebounds for the Jazz. Jae Crowder and Ricky Rubio added 12 points apiece as Utah won its third straight game, holding Brooklyn to 35 percent shooting and finishing with a 65-44 advantage on rebounds.

Spencer Dinwiddie scored 22 points and D'Angelo Russell added 20 for Brooklyn. The Nets dropped their second in a row after winning four straight.

Nets look to bounce back against Jazz at 9 p.m.

Brooklyn had four-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday in Oklahoma City

Mar 16 | 8:00PM

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(Alonzo Adams)

For the Brooklyn Nets, the opening 24 minutes of their seven-game road trip went exceedingly well, perhaps even better than anticipated. It was the final 24 minutes that led to a disappointing loss in Oklahoma City.

Three nights after opening their season-long road trip by collapsing in the second half, the Nets hope to rebound Saturday night when they visit the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City.

The Nets (36-34) head to Utah after sustaining a 108-96 loss at Oklahoma City in a game where they scored the first nine points and led by 17 with five minutes left in the second quarter. In the second half, the Nets were outscored 66-44 (30-10 in the paint), shot 35 percent and committed nine turnovers.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Russell Westbrook scored 31 points in his 26th triple-double of the season, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Brooklyn Nets 108-96 on Wednesday night.

Westbrook added 12 rebounds and 11 assists for the 130th triple-double of his career.

Paul George scored 25 points and Jerami Grant added 15 for the Thunder, who shot 49 percent in the second half. Oklahoma City has won three of four as it battles to secure home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. >> Read more

ATLANTA (AP) Spencer Dinwiddie scored 23 points, Jarrett Allen added 20 points and 12 rebounds and the Brooklyn Nets held off the Atlanta Hawks 114-112 on Saturday night for their third straight win.

The Nets moved into a tie for sixth place in the Eastern Conference despite missing a staggering 21 free throws to give the Hawks a chance at the end. After Joe Harris hit one of two foul shots with 16.3 seconds remaining, Trae Young dribbled down the clock and passed to 42-year-old Vince Carter, who missed a 3-point attempt at the buzzer.

John Collins finished with 33 points and a career-high 20 rebounds for Atlanta, and Young had a triple-double with 23 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. >> Read more

Mar 4 | 10:10PM

DeMarre Carroll scored 22 points, Rodions Kurucs had 19 and the Brooklyn Nets easily snapped a three-game losing streak with a 127-88 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night.

Caris LeVert added 18 points and Spencer Dinwiddie finished with 16 on a night the Nets shook up their starting lineup but were fueled by their reserves. The 39-point margin was their most lopsided victory at home - and matched their biggest victory overall - since moving to Brooklyn in 2012.

D'Angelo Russell beams with confidence as he firmly tells me that he's going to win the Most Improved Player Award. I mention a few names. He doesn't want to hear it. He's winning it.

"I'm telling you, I'm winning it!"

Russell just turned 23 years old and he's currently on top of the world. The former No. 2 overall pick is having the best year of his career, averaging 20.5 points and 6.7 assists on 37 percent shooting from three entering Monday's game -- all career-high's during a contract year. He just recently returned from All-Star Weekend and he's leading the Nets on an improbable run to the playoffs.

Nets aim for turnaround against struggling Mavericks

Brooklyn looks to snap three-game skid

Mar 4 | 5:14PM

Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson reacts during the first half against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. (Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports)

Even as the Brooklyn Nets become a fully healthy team, they continue to slump.

The struggles have been ongoing for over a month and the Nets attempt to halt a three-game losing streak Monday night when they host the Dallas Mavericks and standout rookie Luka Doncic.

On Friday, Spencer Dinwiddie returned from missing 14 games with torn ligaments in his right thumb that required surgery and the Nets sustained a 123-112 home loss to Charlotte. A night later, the Nets turned in an uglier performance by shooting 35.2 percent in a 117-88 loss at Miami.

NEW YORK (AP) Kemba Walker scored 25 points, Jeremy Lamb added 22 and the Charlotte Hornets snapped a three-game skid Friday night with a 123-112 victory over the Brooklyn Nets to boost their playoff hopes.

The Hornets inched back ahead of Orlando for eighth place in the Eastern Conference and evened the season series with the sixth-place Nets to avoid giving Brooklyn that head-to-head tiebreaker if the teams finished with the same record.

Nicolas Batum had 17 points and Frank Kaminsky III re-emerged after sitting out the last four games to score 15. The Hornets put seven players in double figures and shot 53 percent from the field. >> Read More

Just last weekend, clutch baskets by D'Angelo Russell, and a timely block by Caris LeVert on Kemba Walker, helped the Brooklyn Nets escape with a dramatic win over the Charlotte Hornets.

It also left the Hornets infuriated with the officiating on the final sequence.

Two of the three meetings between the teams have been filled with drama and the season series will conclude Friday night when the Hornets visit the Nets.

The Nets are expected to a get a boost since Spencer Dinwiddie is set to return Friday. Dinwiddie has been out since Jan. 23 due to torn ligaments in his right thumb and practiced with Brooklyn's G-League team Thursday after coach Kenny Atkinson said he was close to returning. >> Read more

The Brooklyn Nets are being presented with a good opportunity in the words of coach Kenny Atkinson "to make some money" with a string of home games before the schedule significantly increases in difficulty.

So far so good for the sixth-place Nets (32-30), who attempt to get another home win Wednesday night when they host the Washington Wizards.

Brooklyn is 18-14 at home and 15-4 in its last 19 home games since blowing a 23-point lead to Oklahoma City on Dec. 5. The Nets turned in three straight disappointing home losses against Milwaukee on Feb. 4, Chicago on Feb. 8 and Portland last Thursday before rebounding nicely with a 101-85 win over San Antonio on Monday night.

Former Nets point guard Kenny Anderson released from hospital following stroke

Queens native suffered stroke over the weekend

Feb 27 | 4:27PM

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Nov 21, 2018; Dallas, TX, USA; A view of the team logo on the shorts of Brooklyn Nets forward Jared Dudley (6) as he warms up before the game against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports (Jerome Miron)

Former Net and New York City basketball legend Kenny Anderson has been released from the hospital after suffering a stroke over the weekend.

"We would like to thank everyone for reaching out on behalf of Kenny," Natasha Anderson, Kenny's wife, said in a statement. "Our family is extremely grateful for all the prayers and love that we have received over the last few days. We appreciate you continuing to respect our privacy as Kenny heals."

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Nets sign guard Tahjere McCall to 10-day contract

McCall averaging 10 points per game with Brooklyn's G League affiliate

The Nets announced Tuesday afternoon that they signed guard Tahjere McCall to a 10-day contract.

McCall has been playing this season with Brooklyn's G League affiliate Long Island, where he's averaging 10 points per game and 3.7 rebounds per game across 23 appearances. He played two years at Niagara before finishing his collegiate career at Tennessee State. The Nets now have 17 players on their roster.

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Nets hand Spurs second straight loss in New York, top San Antonio 101-85

Russell scores 23 as Brooklyn wins second in a row

Feb 25 | 10:01PM

D'Angelo Russell had 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, and the Brooklyn Nets forced the San Antonio Spurs into perhaps their worst offensive performance of the season in a 101-85 victory Monday night.

A night after their defense was absent in a loss to the Knicks, the Spurs went across town and couldn't get their offense going. San Antonio was held to its lowest point total of the season, and the NBA's leading 3-point shooting team was a season-worst 16.7 percent behind the arc.

San Antonio came in shooting a little better than 40 percent behind the arc.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) D'Angelo Russell tied a career high with 40 points and made some huge shots down the stretch, and the Brooklyn Nets picked up an important 117-115 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night.

The victory kept the Nets alone in sixth place in the Eastern Conference and gives them 2-1 edge in the series entering Friday night's game at Brooklyn.

The game ended with fans booing the officials off the court after a no-call when Kemba Walker attempted a 3-pointer from the right wing at the buzzer. Caris LeVert had him well defended and was credited with a blocked shot, but Hornets players threw their arms up in the air and the crowd erupted in loud chorus of boos believing there had been a foul. >> Read More

The top five teams in the Eastern Conference have separated from the rest of the field.

The Brooklyn Nets lead the best of the rest, but the Hornets are on their heels and will try to catch them when the teams meet in Charlotte on Saturday night.

The Nets (30-30) lost their first game after the All-Star break, falling 113-99 to visiting Portland on Thursday. The Hornets (28-30) will be playing on a back-to-back after beating Washington 123-110 on Friday night to open a four-game homestand.

NEW YORK (AP) Jusuf Nurkic had 27 points and 12 rebounds, new backup Enes Kanter added 18 points and nine boards in his Portland debut, and the Trail Blazers beat the Brooklyn Nets 113-99 on Thursday night.

The center tandem was so good that the Trail Blazers didn't even need a big night from All-Star guard Damian Lillard, who was just 5 for 21 from the field. He finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.

Kanter, who signed last week with the Blazers after losing his job with the Knicks, made his first seven shots and finished 8 for 9, missing only a 3-pointer.

Nets return from All-Star break to host Trail Blazers at 7:30 p.m.

Brooklyn holds the No. 6 spot in the Eastern Conference as it resumes play

Feb 21 | 6:30PM

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Brooklyn Nets guard D'Angelo Russell hits a 3-point shot during the first half against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center. (Patrick Gorski/USA TODAY Sports)

A little over three years ago, Sean Marks was officially introduced as the general manager of the Brooklyn Nets, and three months later Kenny Atkinson was named as the coach of the rebuilding project.

Two painful seasons followed, but in Year 3, the Nets are in the playoff picture in a crowded Eastern Conference race.

Brooklyn resumes its playoff push Thursday night when it hosts the Portland Trail Blazers, who are starting a season-high seven-game road trip.

At 30-29, the Nets headed into the All-Star break with a winning record for the first time since the 2012-13 season. When they last reached the playoffs in 2014-15, the Nets held a 21-31 record at the break and finished at 38-44. >> Read More

Nets' D'Angelo Russell stars for Team Giannis in NBA All-Star Game

Russell scores six points off the bench

Feb 17 | 10:54PM

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Team Giannis guard D'Angelo Russell of the Brooklyn Nets handles the ball against Team Lebron forward Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans during the 2019 NBA All-Star Game at Spectrum Center. (Bob Donnan/USA TODAY Sports)

Nets guard D'Angelo Russell scored six points for Team Giannis in a 178-164 loss to Team LeBron in the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday at Spectrum Center.

Russell, who took the spot of the injured Victor Oladipo, also recorded three assists and one rebound in 12 minutes.

For one night only, Nets teammates Jarrett Allen and Rodions Kurucs were on opposite sides.

Allen represented Team USA in its 161-144 victory Friday night over Team World in the NBA Rising Stars game as part of the league's All-Star weekend, while Kurucs, a native of Latvia, scored 10 points the World squad.

The Nets were in a nip-and-tuck affair with the lowly Cavaliers all night Wednesday, but after three overtimes Brooklyn was finally able to come away with a 148-139 victory in Cleveland. The 148 points the Nets scored are tied for the second-most they've ever scored in a game, and are the most they've ever scored in a road game. >> Box score

Things to know about Wednesday's game

1) When the Nets took a 135-131 lead with 3:08 remaining in the third overtime, that marked their largest lead of the game. D'Angelo Russell hit a 3-pointer to give them that lead before extending it to eight with two consecutive buckets. Russell, who will head to Charlotte for this weekend's All-Star Game, took over at the end of the game as he scored 14 of his 36 points in the third overtime, going 6-for-6 from the field in the final period after struggling earlier in the game.

Russell was 5-for-18 with 12 points in 29 regulation minutes. He then went 8-for-12 with 24 points in 12 overtime minutes to ensure Brooklyn (30-29) took a winning record into the break.

The Nets put up a fight against the Raptors but ultimately fell short Monday in a 127-125 loss in Toronto after the game was tied 92-92 through three quarters. The Nets (29-29) have lost five of their last six games. >> Box score

Things to know about Monday's game

1) Kawhi Leonard hit a game-winning bank shot for Toronto with 4.2 seconds left roughly 30 seconds after Danny Green hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 125-125. Leonard finished with 30 points and eight assists.

With 10:39 to go in the second quarter Friday, Caris LeVert entered the game for his first NBA action in nearly three months. Barclays Center rose to its feet, with a couple of his Nets teammates cheering along. What followed was a couple of stints that reminded Nets fans what they missed in LeVert, largely considered their best prospect earlier this season.

But beyond this limited stretch in his first game back, LeVert's return means much more, a huge addition to a Brooklyn team that's fighting for its first postseason berth in a few years.

"I thought he looked good; he looked athletic," Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson said following Brooklyn's 125-106 loss to the Bulls. "He was active pushing the ball, getting downhill like he does, making passes."

Nets Takeaways from Friday's 125-106 loss to Bulls

Caris LeVert posts 11 points in return to the court

By Deesha Thosar | Feb 8 | 10:01PM

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(Wendell Cruz)

The lowly Chicago Bulls have won just 13 games this season and their latest victory came against the Brooklyn Nets in an astounding 125-106 upset at Barclays Center on Friday night. Brooklyn's rough loss came after the Nets defeated the Nuggets on Wednesday to snap a three-game losing streak. >> Box score

Things to know about Friday's game

1) The Nets completely fell apart at the start of the fourth quarter, when comeback victories have normally been the team's Achilles heel this season. Brooklyn was down 18 points with sloppy plays and shoddy passing diminishing chances of a comeback with 8:09 left in the fourth quarter. A quiet Kenny Atkinson watched on the sidelines as the Bulls, the third-worst team in the Eastern Conference, pulled ahead.

LeVert, who has not played since suffering a dislocated foot on Nov. 12, avoided surgery and suffered only minor ligament damage, and Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson said the team would ease him back into the lineup.

"My feeling is let's just build him up from a physical standpoint," Atkinson said, according to the Associated Press. "From a basketball technical standpoint, I think it's going to take some time quite honestly until he catches his rhythm. I can't tell you how long that's going to be. The most important thing is he's right physically, and we'll build up the basketball part."

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Nets' D'Angelo Russell drafted to Team Giannis for NBA All-Star Game

Russell set to participate in his first All-Star Game

Feb 7 | 7:40PM

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Brooklyn Nets guard D'Angelo Russell picks up a pass in the second quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Barclays Center. (Catalina Fragoso/USA TODAY Sports)

D'Angelo Russell now knows who his teammates will be at the NBA All-Star Game next weekend.

The Nets guard was selected Thursday night by Giannis Antetokounmpo during the All-Star draft. Russell will be making his first All-Star appearance, having replaced injured Pacers star Victor Oladipo.

After the starters were drafted, Team Giannis took Russell in the fifth round of the reserves portion of the draft. Russell was taken before LaMarcus AldridgeNikola Vucevic, Karl-Anthony Towns, Kyle Lowry, and Bradley Beal.

The Nets made one move prior to Thursday afternoon's NBA trade deadline, acquiring Greg Monroe and a 2021 second-round pick from the Raptors, according to multiple reports.

But Monroe apparently won't be a Net for long. According to The Athletic, Monroe will waived by Brooklyn, which will reportedly send Toronto cash considerations. Monroe signed a one-year deal with the Raptors last summer worth more than $2.1 million.

Nets NBA trade deadline primer: 3 ways Brooklyn can improve

Brooklyn's success has transformed the team from a seller to a possible buyer

By Rafael Canton | Feb 7 | 9:15AM

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The Brooklyn Nets have been a pleasant surprise in the NBA this season. Seen as a team looking on the outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, the Nets find themselves in sixth place in the East (29-27), just a few hours before the NBA's trade deadline.

The Nets' success has transformed them from a seller at the trade deadline to a possible buyer. Entering Monday's meeting, Brooklyn has gone 20-8 in its last 28 games and is fresh off of a successful January that saw the team post an 11-4 record and the fourth-best defensive rating (106.9 points allowed per 100 possessions) in the NBA.

The franchise has several paths it can pivot to as the deadline approaches...

After losing three straight games, their longest losing streak in two months, the Nets bounced back Wednesday with a 135-130 win over the Nuggets, who currently hold the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. The Nets won their 29th game, surpassing last season's win total 56 games into the season. >> Box score

Things to know about Wednesday's game

1) As has often been the case this season, D'Angelo Russell led the way for Brooklyn by putting up 27 points, 11 assists and six rebounds. He shot 10-for-23 from the field including 6-for-9 from 3-point range. The All-Star guard's double-double was his sixth of the season, which is a career-high. This marked the second time in his career Russell had at least 25 points and 10 assists; he did it on Jan. 23 against the Magic.

Nets try to get back to winning ways, host Nuggets at 7:30 p.m.

Brooklyn on three-game losing streak for first time in two months

Feb 6 | 6:30PM

Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson reacts during the first half against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. (Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports)

The Brooklyn Nets struggled to contain Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo and for the first time in two months, they are on a three-game losing streak.

Brooklyn's next task is to contain Nikola Jokic on Wednesday night when they host the Denver Nuggets in a matchup of banged-up teams.

The Nets (28-27) are on their first three-game losing streak since dropping eight straight from Nov. 21-Dec 5. They went 20-6 in 26 games before the skid began with a 117-114 loss at San Antonio on Thursday.